GRAND RAPIDS, MI — Concerns over increased spending and the viability of the federal flood insurance program steered and shaded votes by two West Michigan U.S. Representatives on legislation to provide relief to victims of Hurricane Sandy.

"He believes that national flood insurance program is broken," said Brian Patrick, spokesman for Huizenga.

The House and Senate passed legislation on Friday, Jan. 4, that raised the borrowing limit of the federal government's flood insurance program to $9.7 billion. It allowed thousands of policy holders to continue receiving payments for damage claims.

Huizenga believes that those who have paid into the federal insurance program should receive money, but also wants to reform the system, Patrick said. The program falls under the jurisdiction of the House Financial Services Committee, on which Huizenga sits. The Congressman wants to replace the public fund with a private-sector alternative, Patrick said.

The fund has become a "taxpayer bailout," and is $20 billion in debt, Patrick said. Huizenga said the fund's solvency raises questions about whether people who have paid into it will receive their money.

The fund will likely become a topic of discussion when the House Financial Services Committee meets, Patrick said.

Amash voted against Friday's relief package because Congress did not couple the funding increase with spending cuts, said Will Adams, spokesman for the Congressman.

"We view this as unacceptable," Adams said of increasing funding without cutting spending. "At a time when many people are suffering in the Northeast, you would think that Congress would be able to find other spending cuts to pay for it."

The Republican conference met Friday morning to discuss including cuts to off-set the added spending, but the final language of the bill did not contain it.

House members are expected to consider additional Sandy relief on Jan. 15. Huizenga has reservations about a Senate bill discussed in the closing days of the last Congress, Patrick said.

"There are serious concerns about that vote because that bill is laden with pork," Patrick said. "There are items in the bill that have nothing to with Sandy."

Huizenga hopes the bill before the House later this month will not include unneeded spending and instead focus on providing needed relief to Sandy victims.

Amash's office had not yet seen a final version of the bill and could not comment on how the Congressman might vote, Adams said. He added that Amash would likely once again look not to increase deficit spending.